Women's colleges

[Anonymous]

Women's colleges are higher education institutions exclusively for women.

Examples include

Barnard (NY), Bryn Mawr (PA), three in MA: Mount Holyoke, Smith and Wellesley part of the historic Seven Sisters.There's also Scripps (CA) and Spelman (HBCU in GA). Other?

Can you share your kid's experience at any of the colleges listed above? Aren't most colleges predominantly women now?

[Anonymous]

Does your DD want to go to a women's college? Because that's the first question you should be asking yourself. My two DDs said no way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does your DD want to go to a women's college? Because that's the first question you should be asking yourself. My two DDs said no way.

+1

If that's not what they want, they will be miserable. Barnard and Scripps are more manageable though because of the nearby co-ed colleges.

[Anonymous]

There is an enormous difference between being at a women's college and being at a college that is "mostly" (60%) women.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does your DD want to go to a women's college? Because that's the first question you should be asking yourself. My two DDs said no way.

+1

If that's not what they want, they will be miserable. Barnard and Scripps are more manageable though because of the nearby co-ed colleges.

Wellesley next to Bard.
Bryn Mawr next to Haverford

[Anonymous]

I think the issue is that women's colleges have become become a bit obsolete for heterosexual women. We initially considered Women's colleges for dd. But after touring learned that womens colleges today admit a lot of nonbinary/lesbian students and even biological males that identify as female. Language in the women's colleges seem to avoid any gendered language due to this complexity. For me, it's odd. When I was in college, my friends at women's schools talked about strong sisterhood and female empowerment. Its not like that anymore. I think schools like barnard still appeal because of proximity to nyc, male students across the street, broader university course offerings, and easier to get into vs Columbia college.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does your DD want to go to a women's college? Because that's the first question you should be asking yourself. My two DDs said no way.

+1

If that's not what they want, they will be miserable. Barnard and Scripps are more manageable though because of the nearby co-ed colleges.

Wellesley next to Bard.
Bryn Mawr next to Haverford

Loud and wrong. Wellesley is outside of Boston whereas Bard is in Upstate NY. Huge distance between them. And Bryn Mawr and Haverford have some degree of separation. The colleges I named are literally across the street from co-ed schools. Fact check yourself next time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: I think the issue is that women's colleges have become become a bit obsolete for heterosexual women. We initially considered Women's colleges for dd. But after touring learned that womens colleges today admit a lot of nonbinary/lesbian students and even biological males that identify as female. Language in the women's colleges seem to avoid any gendered language due to this complexity. For me, it's odd. When I was in college, my friends at women's schools talked about strong sisterhood and female empowerment. Its not like that anymore. I think schools like barnard still appeal because of proximity to nyc, male students across the street, broader university course offerings, and easier to get into vs Columbia college.

Well, thank you for your uninformed opinion based on, what, a tour? My DD is heterosexual and is very happy at Smith. All her closest friends at Smith appear (as best I can tell, not really asking about ppl's sexuality) to be heterosexual as well. Of course, it is a very welcoming place for LGBTQ+ students, but those are hardly the only students there. DD and her friends sometimes go to the other colleges in the area to socialize. For a while she was dating a boy at Amherst, then decided she didn't like him enough. lol.

There are many advantages to women's college, now that our family has firsthand knowledge. DD's confidence has grown so much, she is double majoring in STEM (not sure that would have happened otherwise), classes are small, she knows her profs, academics are top notch, and the community is so supportive. There are also the little things. The student activities are more geared towards things women would like, such as craft nights. Even the dining hall food seems more geared to a woman's palette. The alum network is incredibly strong, not just for Smith, but the wider Seven Sisters network too.

It is a tremendous experience, if this is what your daughter wants.

[Anonymous]

Two of my cousins went to Smith. They went at different times and grew up on opposite sides of the country (not even sure they know each other). They both have spoken well of their experiences and seem to still have friends from college (one is mid 30's, one is mid 20's). But neither one has ever been known to date a boy/man and both give off very hardcore lesbian vibes though they haven't come out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Does your DD want to go to a women's college? Because that's the first question you should be asking yourself. My two DDs said no way.

+1

If that's not what they want, they will be miserable. Barnard and Scripps are more manageable though because of the nearby co-ed colleges.

Wellesley next to Bard.
Bryn Mawr next to Haverford

Loud and wrong. Wellesley is outside of Boston whereas Bard is in Upstate NY. Huge distance between them. And Bryn Mawr and Haverford have some degree of separation. The colleges I named are literally across the street from co-ed schools. Fact check yourself next time.

Babson, not Bard.

[Anonymous]

This question, again. OP, please do a search. There have been some threads previously about women's schools. Not everyone is lesbian. I loved my experience at Wellesley. FWIW, all my friends were straight and they're all happily married (to men) and have kids who are now applying to college. Apply if you feel it is the right fit. Don't discount it for stupid reasons like everyone is lesbian.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Does your DD want to go to a women's college? Because that's the first question you should be asking yourself. My two DDs said no way.

This feels like a baked in assumption of the post.

[Anonymous]

Hollins and Sweet Briar, both in VA

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: I think the issue is that women's colleges have become become a bit obsolete for heterosexual women. We initially considered Women's colleges for dd. But after touring learned that womens colleges today admit a lot of nonbinary/lesbian students and even biological males that identify as female. Language in the women's colleges seem to avoid any gendered language due to this complexity. For me, it's odd. When I was in college, my friends at women's schools talked about strong sisterhood and female empowerment. It’s not like that anymore. I think schools like barnard still appeal because of proximity to nyc, male students across the street, broader university course offerings, and easier to get into vs Columbia college.

How?

[Anonymous]

Scripps hardly feels like a women’s college. You have three courses with all-scripps girls and then after…your classes are coed and your dorms often have men/boyfriends in them, the dining hall is filled with men, and the culture is within the 5Cs. Not a very traditional experience.